An official report for the Greater Manchester “Low Carbon Hub” has concluded that

“There is still no clear way forward nor momentum on supporting commercial building retrofit for energy efficiency and resilience, nor developing the low carbon/natural environment skills agenda.”

The gloomy, and admirably honest assessment comes in the latest quarterly performance report of the group. The report also notes that the Greater Manchester EV (electric vehicle) scheme use is already plateauing. Oh, and that the “Lack or [sic] real time data on Air Quality’ s a problem.  Oh, and that Brexit is gonna screw us.  Oh, and that they couldn’t get dosh from the Department for Cars Transport.

The Hub started life almost ten years ago as the ‘Environment Commission’, a mix of officers and elected members from the ten local authorities that make up Greater Manchester.  MCFly used to report on it fairly closely, till we realised that – like it – we were wasting everyone’s time.  And then Richard Leese took over and forbad members of the public from attending meetings (true story), so for a while the question was moot.  Then, with a simple letter,  we got the next chair to open the meetings again. Meanwhile, it’s crushingly pale male and stale, and hasn’t done its carbon literacy training.

The next meeting is this Friday, 7th April.  If you go, take a book and a pillow, and let us know how you get on.